Object
Riker's Hand Phaser
Commander William T. Riker's personal Starfleet hand phaser is a compact, matte-alloy sidearm with a circular emitter aperture and a hum when charged, its scuffed edges and faint heat bloom testifying to heavy use across the galaxy. The weapon is ever-present in Riker's quarters, ready during red alerts to cut through private moments and return him to command. It is employed in away-team operations on Malcor III, where Dr. Berel discovers it and Krola forces Riker to fire it into himself to stage a fatal shooting, and on Turkana IV, where it stuns an Alliance guard and later shatters high-tech restraints. In a Romulan simulation, Riker defies Tomalak by dropping the phaser to the floor, collapsing the illusion. During the Crystalline Entity's attack on Melona Colony, Riker and Data fire it at boulders above a cave entrance, dislodging a rockslide that seals survivors inside; afterward, Riker raises the phaser, grip steady, ready to face the threat amid his grief over Carmen Davila's sacrifice. The weapon remains a symbol of Riker's adaptability and resolve across countless missions.
31 appearances
Purpose
Personal defensive and security device designed to deliver controlled stun or disable discharges in close quarters.
Significance
Serves as irrefutable proof of Riker's extraterrestrial identity, triggers institutional lockdown, and becomes the central element in Krola's staged assassination to frame the Federation, nearly derailing first contact and igniting Malcorian xenophobia.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used